The Niagara News is the community newspaper of Niagara College located in Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. It is created and produced by the students of the Niagara College Journalism program.

Mental health more important than grades

By JESSICA HENDRIKSColumnistSome teachers and parents believe and teach students that school comes first – before fun, friends, activities, relaxation, and even wellbeing.Some students are raised to believe that unless they get 80s or 90s on their report cards, they’re a failure, and that one grade will determine their whole future. For these students, the pressure is on.However, realistically, our physical and mental health are more important.“It’s important to put mental health before grades because at the end of the day, all you can do is your best,” says Chloe Novak, a student in the Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film program here. “For the most part, perfection isn’t possible so stressing too hard over your grades isn’t helpful. Take care of your mental health first and that will make it easier to succeed.” My parents never pressured me with school. As long as I was happy, they were too. My goal in high school was to pass my classes, and they were fine with that.I spent the majority of my high school years undiagnosed with anxiety. I would act in ways no one would understand. I would have breakdowns, walk out of class, and not do my work when I was told.Educators would judge me, and say I was acting out and told me to “just do your work.”They never seemed to understand. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to do my work or didn’t know how, but that I couldn’t do it. My mind was always elsewhere, due to my undiagnosed anxiety and depression. I actually am a smart person.I have stubbornly put my mental health before grades, and my teachers and educational assistants (EA) always had a hard time accepting that in high school, except for one.Angel Billy, EA, is one to care for her students’ wellbeing as well as their education. I had her as an EA multiple times in high school and I am fortunate I did. She remembers me having a hard time doing assignments. She knew it was due to mental health issues, not because I was lazy. Unlike others, she would take time to listen to me and be supportive. After a break, we would try to work again. She continues to do that with her current students.She says she handles each student according to his or her needs, whether it’s home, life, family or health.“Educators impact a child’s life. They are with you more hours of the day,” says Billy. She encourages other educators to believe in their students, just as she believed in me.She says to be aware, be compassionate, and be patient. Yes, I would sit in front of the computer for hours without typing a single word. Yes, I failed tests and skipped assignments. No, this did not make me a failure. I just put my wellbeing first. Despite all of this, I am doing really well in college. I get a lot of 80s and even 90s. I am writing multiple articles bi-monthly for this newspaper.The rough grades I got in high school didn’t determine my future. I’m a success story.Now that I am in college, I’m my own responsibility.I am able to put my mental health first. If I’m feeling depressed or anxious, I put my work away, even if I have five assignments to do, and watch Netflix or go out for the night. If my due date is coming up, since I have accommodations, I can let my teacher know that I’ll be handing it in late. I can do my work at my own pace without any pressure from teachers. I can take breaks because I’m not being monitored the whole day. A student at Niagara College, who preferred not to reveal her name, who has struggled with mental health issues most of her life, says, “Take a deep breath and relax. Nothing is more important than your mental health. Find something that calms you and do it. When you feel OK, go back to your work,” says Anonymous. “Don’t feel guilty about taking some ‘me time’,” says Novak. “I make sure to take at least one evening off a week just to relax, even when my schedule is crazy and I have tons of projects to do.”If school becomes overwhelming for a student, it can lead to negative consequences, such as drop out, alcohol or drug abuse, isolation, lash out, breakdowns, and sometimes suicidal thoughts or attempts.Students should not be afraid to put their schoolwork aside and take care of themselves as needed. As long as they’re trying and eventually succeed, that’s all that really matters.Parents and teachers should try to understand that one bad grade is not the end of the world.If a student is struggling to do their work, take the time to listen to them. They might not be as lazy as you think.